Â鶹ŮÀÉ

Graduate Students

KAYLEE MCMILLAN

Kaylee McMillian is a graduate student in the Neuroscience program at Â鶹ŮÀÉ, working under the mentorship of Dr. Irem Korucu in the Self-Regulation, Early Experience, and Development (SEED) Lab. Her research interests focus on neural development and the factors that contribute to atypical developmental trajectories. She is particularly interested in how children’s environments influence brain and behavioral development and in identifying ways to support healthy growth and resilience in early childhood. Through her research, Kaylee aims to better understand the mechanisms linking early experiences to later outcomes and to contribute to interventions that promote positive developmental pathways for all children.

Undergraduate Students

FALL 2025

Sarah Rivera-Aguirre

Sarah Rivera-Aguirre is an undergraduate student who’s getting a dual degree in Neuroscience and Psychology. She presented in the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship showcase this past summer under the supervision of Dr. Korucu. Through her experience in this lab, she has gained an interest in mental health disorders and the effects on self-regulation skills and early development.

Sofia Friedlander

Sofia Friedlander is an undergraduate student at Â鶹ŮÀÉ. She is a biological sciences major with a minor in psychology graduating spring 2026. Her research interests include clinical and developmental psychology.

Karen Benavidez

Karen Benavidez is an undergraduate student at Â鶹ŮÀÉ where she is pursuing a B.A. in psychology as part of the Class of 2026. She is currently involved in research as a lab assistant at Â鶹ŮÀÉ's SEED lab, which focuses on children’s executive function and self-regulation. Karen is passionate about Speech and Language pathology and plans to pursue graduate studies in the field. Her academic interests involve developmental psychology and communication disorders.

Lila Carino

Lila Carino is an undergraduate student at Â鶹ŮÀÉ, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Italian. She is a research assistant in the Self-Regulation, Early Experience, and Development (SEED) Lab, working with Dr. Irem Korucu. Her research interests focus on early brain and behavioral development, particularly how adverse life events during critical developmental periods—from prenatal stages through adulthood—become biologically embedded and influence later outcomes. She is particularly interested in examining how systemic and environmental inequities shape these processes in historically marginalized communities. Guided by her passion for developmental science, Lila is dedicated to pursuing research that supports positive developmental outcomes for all children.

Analisa Martin

Analisa Martin is an undergraduate student at Â鶹ŮÀÉ. She is majoring in Criminal Justice with a double minor in Psychology and Forensic Investigations. She is specifically interested in environmental and behavioral factors that influence language development and self-regulation in children. She is passionate about exploring various ways to teach school age children. She hopes that through her research, she can better comprehend why children fall behind academically and discover new and creative ways to aid children in their learning as well as their behavior in the classroom.

Natalie Temple

Natalie Temple is an undergraduate researcher in the Self-Regulation, Early Experience, and Development (SEED) Lab, directed by Dr. Irem Korucu at Â鶹ŮÀÉ. She is pursuing a bachelor's degree in psychology and contributes to research examining environmental influences on children's cognitive and behavioral development. Natalie’s academic interests center on understanding the factors that promote healthy developmental trajectories in children and identifying evidence-based strategies that support their success. Through her work in the lab, she aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of how research can inform practices that foster optimal growth and well-being.